JAPAN DISASTER: Nippon Kasei keeps CHDMMA unit shutJapan's Nippon Kasei was keeping its cyclohexanol dimethanol monoacrylate (CHDMMA) unit in Onahama, Fukushima prefecture, off line after it was shut following the devastating earthquake and tsunami on 11 March.

JAPAN DISASTER: JX Energy restarts Negishi refineryJapan’s JX Nippon Oil & Energy has restarted its 270,000 bbl/day Negishi refinery, a company source said on Monday. While crude distillation units at the Negishi refinery in Kanagawa prefecture just south of Tokyo were restarted on Monday.

JAPAN DISASTER: Denka to raise op rates at SM unitJapan’s Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Denka) is in the process of raising the operating rate at its 240,000 tonne/year styrene monomer (SM) unit in Chiba. The unit has been operating at 75% following the 11 March earthquake and tsunami, but will likely see rates raised to 100% this week.

JAPAN DISASTER: JX Nippon, Cosmo Oil raise refinery operating ratesJapanese refiners JX Nippon Oil & Energy and Cosmo Oil have raised production at their refineries in western Japan by a combined total of around 110,000 bbl/day in order to alleviate oil product supply shortages resulting from the recent earthquake, officials said on Friday.

JAPAN DISASTER: Cabot plants safe, but infrastructure issues loomCabot's carbon black and tantalum plants in Japan incurred only minor damage, and all of its employees are safe, but problems with transportation and infrastructure could disrupt operations, the company said on Thursday.

JAPAN DISASTER: Some petchems restart as nuclear crisis deepensSome petrochemical plants in Japan restarted operations on Thursday, slowly ramping up production almost a week after the deadly quake and tsunami struck, but the country is beset by bigger problems - the Fukushima nuclear crisis and a consequent shortage of fuel and electricity.

Corrected: JAPAN DISASTER: Polyolefins capacity downJapan’s polyolefins industry has incurred significant production losses in linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), as a number of plants remain shut in the wake of the 11 March earthquake, industry sources said.

JAPAN DISASTER: NPU runs Nanyo MDI units at full rateJapan's Nippon Polyurethane (NPU) is running its methyl di-p-phenylene isocyanate (MDI) facility at Nanyo in Yamagata prefecture at full rate, unaffected by the 11 March earthquake, a company source said on Thursday.

Japan’s JX Nippon Oil shuts Negishi base oils facility after quakeJapan’s JX Nippon Oil & Energy has taken off line its 220,000 tonne/year Group I base oils facility in Negishi, Kanagawa prefecture, following the shutdown at its refinery complex.